High-powered optical sources have many applications in which an intense beam of light is focused onto a substrate or other target. In many high-power optical source architectures, a signal from a seed source is fed into an optical amplifier that amplifies the power of the signal. One example, among others, of such a high-power optical source architecture is referred as a master oscillator, power amplifier (MOPA) architecture. The MOPA architecture allows precise pulsing of the amplified output. Laser systems based on optical amplification of seed signals are often used in high power applications, such as laser micromachining.
Many high power optical systems make use of wavelength conversion to produce light having a desired wavelength or range of wavelengths. Often the process of conversion involves performing some non-linear optical wavelength conversion on input light from a source, such as a MOPA source. The non-linear conversion efficiency may have less than perfect conversion efficiency. Furthermore, the non-linear conversion efficiency may be adjustable. Consequently not all of the input light is necessarily converted to “useful” wavelength converted light. As such, some unconverted input light may remain as waste light. Such waste light may contribute to an undesirable build up of heat in the optical system. The build up of heat may adversely affect the performance of the optical system.
Optical wavelength converters are often sealed to protect them against environmental contamination. This can complicate removal of heat by conventional methods such as conduction or convection.
It is within this context that embodiments of the present invention arise.